


The only truth I know is you

by Frejya



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex is in college, DOUBLE va va voom, Engineering Club President Lena Luthor, F/F, Fluff, High School AU, Supergirl HSAU, Varsity Soccer Vice-Captain Kara Danvers, so Lucy becomes the sassy older sister Kara needs, tiny bit of angst if you squint, wow va va voom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-27 12:41:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10021217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frejya/pseuds/Frejya
Summary: "Lenadatemewouldyougooutwith?”WHAT?Kara slaps her hands over her face. Death by mortification is a thing, right? She’s led a full, happy life. It’s only been seventeen years, sure, but it’s been good. She’s okay with leaving this world at this very moment.-Supergirl HSAU! Or: Lena and Kara over the course of their junior year, as they learn to love themselves and each other.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Title and opening stanza from Simon and Garfunkel's ballad, "Kathy's Song".

 

 

 

> _And so you see, I have come to doubt_  
>  _All that I once held as true  
>  _ _I stand alone without beliefs  
>  _ _The only truth I know is you._

 

Kara Danvers pushes open the doors to National City High School. She’s greeted by the sight of her best friends waiting for her by her locker, engaged in conversation. To be precise, Lucy and James are talking; Winn is currently focused on devouring the contents of his pudding cup like it’s an Olympic sport. Lucy spots her as she walks up to them.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the new junior vice-captain of the varsity soccer squad,” Lucy drawls.

“Shut up, cap,” Kara retorts, a sunny smile lighting up her face. Lucy returns with a grin of her own.

It’s the first day of school and Kara is starting her junior year. Lucy is already going on about how much ass-kicking they will be doing in varsity with the ‘dynamic duo’ in charge and how much this year is going to rock.

As she opens her locker, Kara spots Lena Luthor enter the school. She turns to look in Kara’s direction and Kara isn’t quick enough to direct her gaze elsewhere. Blue eyes meet green and, to her pleasant surprise, Lena smiles at her.

All of a sudden, the butterflies that have lain dormant all summer burst alive.

-

They meet again in third period chemistry. Mr Carr pairs them up as lab partners and they’re asked to titrate something to determine some other thing that Kara definitely did not pay attention to because she was otherwise… distracted.

“Could you pass me the phenolphthalein?” Lena asks in that smooth voice. Kara tries her best not to dissolve into a puddle.

“Yeah, yeah of course. Here you go.” Kara hands over a beaker. Lena glances over at the proffered solution before looking up at Kara and smiling amusedly.

“It’s, ah, the clear solution on your left, Kara.”

“Oh! Yes, of course it is! Silly me,” Kara laughs in embarrassment, pink tinging her cheeks, “here you are.” The grin doesn’t leave Lena’s face as she takes the bottle, her hand lightly sliding over Kara’s. She proceeds to squeeze two drops of the indicator into the beaker before her as Kara watches in awe at the other girl’s clear competency.

“Sorry, Lena?” Kara asks, hesitant.

“Hmm?”

“Could you explain to me what you are doing? I didn’t really catch what Mr Carr said at the start of the lesson.” Lena looks a little surprised at that. Kara only has a moment to wonder if she’s said anything weird before that charming smile is back in place as Lena obliges.

It’s right after the bell goes that Kara musters the courage to ask, “Lena, I know we aren’t really that close, but the thing is, I’m _really_ bad at chemistry and I only barely passed the exam last year. But I’m on the varsity soccer team this year and I _really_ can’t afford to fail because then I’d be treated to Coach Henshaw’s Look of Disappointment and I can’t bear to be on the receiving end of that – it is unfairly guilt-inducing.” She takes a deep breath. “So I guess what I’m asking is, will you tutor me in Chemistry? You can refuse if you want, I’d totally understand if you have other things to do. Or even if you don’t but just don’t want to, that’s fine too! Totally, totally up to you.”

There’s an awkward pause as Kara catches her breath and Lena seems to be at a loss for words.

Lena quickly gathers herself. “I can meet you at the library after school on Thursday. You don’t have practice then, right?”

Kara rushes to agree. The two of them bid shy goodbyes as they leave for their next class. Both girls silently rejoice at the thought of having made friends with someone special, unbeknownst to the other.

-

It’s Thursday after school and Kara is nowhere to be found. Lena absently taps her pen on the library’s wooden table, chewing on her bottom lip. _What if she changed her mind and decided that she didn’t want to have anything to do with me after all?_ But Lena Luthor doesn’t show uncertainty. She can’t. She carefully places her pen atop her notes and straightens up, running her palm lightly across the side of her head.

The door to the library bursts open and a clearly flustered Kara emerges through it. She spots Lena and quickly moves towards her, already beginning to explain herself before she even gets to the table.

“I’m _so_ sorry I’m late! I know it’s really not an excuse but right after English, I got called by Mrs Peralta to help her carry her stuff to the staffroom. Then she started talking about her _son_ , who apparently went to our school and was captain of the football team and Homecoming King and I can basically tell you anything you ever wanted to know about Jacob Peralta at this point,” Kara rushes out.

Lena really can’t help but laugh at the image of Kara being held captive by their elderly English teacher. She tries to stifle her amusement when Kara pouts adorably at her but that only lasts a second before peals of laughter escape her.

She finally stops when the librarian shushes them. They apologise and have the decency to look properly chastised. Yet, as they settle into their seats and look at each other, they can’t keep from sharing secret grins.

-

It’s Friday at lunchtime. Kara spots Lena as she leaves the line for food and waves her over to her table. Lena hesitates briefly before walking towards them. And Kara is so thankful for her friends because they greet Lena enthusiastically and try their best to make her feel welcome. If that’s at the expense of Kara, where jokes are made about how hopeless she was at anything science-related, she’s fine with that.

“Hey, Lena, I just wanted to say I’m really impressed by your work on the LuthorScribe,” Winn mentions, “my friend Sam says it’s a great help when he’s taking notes in class.”

“What’s a LuthorScribe?” James asks.

“It’s this really cool high-tech pen Lena invented! It helps dyslexic students take notes better by recording lectures and taking pictures of your writing to identify any points missed. It’s a-MAZING.”

Lucy whistles. “Damn, Luthor. You a genius or something?” A smirk belies her jest. Lena, on her part, looks absolutely stunned by all the compliments. Kara’s heart aches a little at that.

Lena recovers. “Thank you, guys. But it was a team effort, really. It may have been my idea originally but the Engineering Club worked tirelessly to make it a reality. They are the ones who deserve the credit. We just wanted to do our part in helping students with learning disabilities to, as much as possible, have the same opportunities that we do. Like they deserve.” Lena looks at Kara then and worries her bottom lip, uncertainty colouring her features, as if afraid she’d said too much. Kara reaches out her hand to rest on Lena’s atop her lap.

“That’s amazing, Lena,” Kara says sincerely.

Lena breaks into a radiant smile. And Kara thinks that it’s really not her fault that she feels like she’s just been blessed by the Sun. As Lena turns back to her friends and accepts their compliments with humility and grace, Kara feels the hand underneath hers turn upwards, fingers lacing through hers before they squeeze gently.

-

Lena quickly becomes part of the gang. They hang out together in and out of school and Lena naturally assimilates into the group. She goes out with Lucy on shopping trips, Winn positively adores geeking out with her about tech stuff and James finally finds someone he can talk about photography with – apparently, Lena found her dad’s old Nikon a couple of years ago and fell in love with it.

Of course, Thursdays are, since that very first study date, strictly reserved for Lena and Kara only. They meet up after school and drive to Kara’s, picking up a truly inhuman amount of takeout on the way – usually Chinese (Mrs Tan fondly calls them her restaurant’s ‘biggest investors’) –, where they spend an hour or so doing homework and some studying. Afterwards, they curl up in Kara’s room to relax and do whatever it is they feel like doing that day. Kara doesn’t really bother with the specifics of that. What she holds dear are the innocuous moments: how Lena sighs and leans further into her touch as she runs fingers through her hair while they watch Netflix; how Lena bumps her shoulder and grins cheekily as she hands Kara her ass on MarioKart, both sat on the floor of her room, Lena in a loose t-shirt she borrowed that Kara can’t help but think looks so _right_ on her; how when they embrace, Lena always tucks her head into the crook between Kara’s neck and shoulder, breathing her in.

It’s during these moments that Kara feels the oddest sensation, like there’s something stirring in her chest. The closest she can liken it is that it feels like she’s falling – oh, she’s falling.

-

“Danvers! What’s going on with you today? You missed every shot you took,” Lucy demands, before she gets closer and sees something in Kara’s expression. Her features immediately soften in concern and she asks, “is everything okay?”

Kara musters a smile and weak laugh. “Yeah! Yeah. Of course. I was just distracted. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Kara _._ You can tell me anything. You know that, right?” Lucy assures her. “There’s clearly something bugging you.”

Her façade falls and Kara shakes her head, wringing her hands. “It’s about Lena.”

Lucy places a hand on her shoulder and nods for her to continue. “I, uh- I think I might… like her? Like, like-like her. Like, like her as more than a friend. And, also more than just best friends! I-“

“ _Kara._ Hey. I get what you’re trying to tell me.” Lucy smiles gently. “So, tell her that.”

Kara shakes her head again, frustrated. “It’s not that simple. What if she doesn’t feel the same way and I make things weird between us? What if we drift apart?” She grabs her friend’s hand with both of hers and holds it tight. “Luce, I can’t lose her.”

“You won’t. Kara, look at me. I know Lena and I know you. The two of you love each other too much to stay away from the other.” Lucy rolls her eyes playfully and Kara can’t help but let out a tiny giggle.

“Besides, I know a thing or two about suppressing feelings. It never ends well. You’ll either end up imploding or regret not having the balls to do it. Tell Lena how you feel. If she doesn’t return those feelings, I know you two will work things through together. But if things turn out the way I think they’re going to,” Lucy smiles knowingly at her, “little Luthor is thinking the exact same things you are now and chances are, she’s just as terrified.”

Kara finally cracks a real smile. “Really?” she asks, shyly.

“Really. Now, get that sexy ass back on the field. Go!” Lucy smacks her ass and Kara laughs as she launches herself at Lucy in a crushing embrace before running back onto the field to join her teammates. And if she wiggles her aforementioned booty cheekily while doing so, Lucy does nothing but shake her head in amusement.

-

Kara huddles with the team as Coach Henshaw gives them a final pep talk. It’s November and it’s the day of the first game of the season. She’s excited but slightly nervous. She lets her vision wander and sees Lena walking onto the field, James and Winn to her sides, and her heart starts to race just a little.

Lena looks up at that moment and catches her eye. And it’s a peculiar (wonderful) feeling when she realises that she’s somehow familiar with and even expects the way green eyes light up, crinkling a little at the corners; the way her lips part and the edges lift as Lena gives her warmest smile, the one that Kara secretly hopes she is the only person privy to.

A sense of calm washes over her and her heartbeat slows. She tries to focus on what Coach Henshaw is saying, instead of what she’s planning to do after the game. She doesn’t need her heart to go into full on cardio-calisthenics again, as it is so apt to every time she thinks about her best friend.

The game turns out to be a close win. Lucy and Kara are fresh out of the showers and the gang is hanging by the bleachers. Lucy gives her a wink before announcing that they’re all going for a celebratory meal at Gino’s. As she begins to lead the way to the car park, Kara hangs back and hooks her fingers around Lena’s wrist, giving it a light tug. Lena turns to look at her best friend.

“What’s up, Kara?”

And, oh, the tenderness with which Lena utters her name, it warms and terrifies her.

“Lena, I – I have something to ask you,” Kara stutters. _God, why is she so nervous?_

Lena’s brows furrow. “What’s wrong, darling? Is everything okay?”

_Why did she have to call her that? How in the world is she supposed to function like a normal human being now?_

“Are you an alien? ‘Cause you are out of this world.”

Lena cracks a smile. “I’m sorry?”

“Do you have heat vision? Because you make me feel so hot inside.”

Lena’s smile grows until she’s beaming at her and Kara’s higher motor functions short circuit.

“Kara… are you hitting on me?” Lena asks, amused.

This is it. This is her time to say something so stunningly witty that she sweeps Lena clean off her feet and they can ride off into the sunset. All she has to do is open her mouth, and-

"Lenadatemewouldyougooutwith?”

_WHAT?_

Kara slaps her hands over her face. Death by mortification is a thing, right? She’s led a full, happy life. It’s only been seventeen years, sure, but it’s been good. She’s okay with leaving this world at this very moment.

She hears the musical sound of Lena’s laughter but still doesn’t dare bring her hands down. They go anyway when Lena reaches out and gently pries them away from her face, pulling them down between the two of them and clasping them with her own. Kara finally peeks at her best friend and finds, for the millionth time since that very first day, her breath stolen. There’s a tenderness in Lena’s eyes that shine with unshed tears of mirth, their virescence stark in contrast.

She tugs at Kara’s hands, pulling her close, before rising onto her toes and leaning in, brushing Kara’s cheek with a whisper of a kiss. “I would love to date go out you with,” Lena responds, teasing in her tone. Kara promptly blushes a furious red from the tips of her roots down to her chest.

Lucy, James and Winn wolf-whistle and catcall from the car. And normally, she’d be embarrassed. But Kara finds that in that moment, she doesn’t give a damn. (Lena, on the other hand, flips them off.)

-

Lena comes home after a study-hang with Kara. (Nothing’s really changed in terms of their Thursday routine, with the slight exception that there is now a lot more kissing.) As she rounds into the kitchen to grab a glass of water, she notices that she isn’t alone in the room.

“Mother,” Lena says evenly.

Lillian Luthor levels a critical gaze at her daughter. “Where have you been?”

A burst of defiance rises through her as she retorts with more than a touch of pride, “My girlfriend’s.”

Lillian pauses, though her expression doesn’t change.

“Are you keeping up your grades? You know I won’t stand for anything less than perfection.”

Lena almost laughs at that. She expected her mother to at least react to that. Apparently, she doesn’t care enough about her for that. All Lillian cares about is the image of a perfect daughter and a perfect family. It doesn’t matter to her that it’s all pretend.

“You don’t have to worry about me tarnishing the Luthor name, Mother. I’m still getting straight A’s,” Lena bites out bitterly.

“I only want the best for you, Lena. I’d hate for you to waste your talents away by getting distracted with trivial teenage pursuits,” Lillian reasons. She’s heard this all before. She bites her lip to keep from saying anything she’d regret.

The next sentence that comes out from Lillian’s mouth is something Lena never thought she’d hear her mother say. “But you do look happier than I’ve seen you in a long time. I’m glad you could find someone who makes you happy, Lena.”

She stares at her mother in stunned silence.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to retire for the night,” Lillian declares. On that note, Lena is left alone in the kitchen.

-

It’s Christmas Eve and Lena is meeting Kara’s parents for the first time – as her girlfriend. To say that she’s nervous is a severe understatement. They reach the Danvers’ doorstep and at this point, she’s starting to feel a little ill with anxiety. _What if they think that I’m not good enough for their daughter?_

“Lena, I can _hear_ you stressing out from over here,” Kara teases.

Lena worries her bottom lip. “I know, I know. I’m sorry, darling. I’m just a little nervous. What if they suddenly hate me?” Kara laughs sweetly and Lena pouts.

“Baby, relax. My parents already love you. They’re only going to love you more now that we’re dating. I swear, Mom’s been dropping hints that I should ask you out.”

Lena relaxes a little and smirks. “And why’s that? Have you been talking a lot about me to your Mom?”

“Shut up. You know I have,” Kara replies easily, rolling her eyes as a light blush dusts her cheeks.

It’s the effortless way that Kara affirms her affection that finally eases her worries. Kara places a hand on Lena’s cheek and gives her a gentle peck before opening the door to her family home.

Lena finds herself at the dinner table with Eliza, Jeremiah, Alex and Kara. (Eliza and Jeremiah wrapped Lena in a tight embrace the moment they spotted her, welcoming her into the family. She nearly cries right there on the spot, barely holding herself together as she returns their embrace fiercely.) Alex is back from college for winter break and is meeting Lena for the first time. So far, she thinks she’s made a decent impression.

“-so that’s how my team managed to stabilise the reaction and prevent blowing up the entire research facility,” Jeremiah finishes with a wry smile.

“That’s incredible, Mr Danvers,” Jeremiah pretend-glares at her, “ _-Jeremiah_. I hope to work in a similar field as yours and I’d really appreciate if you could lend me some guidance in the future,” Lena says a little nervously.

The smile that Jeremiah gives her is warm and _fatherly_ and it puts her at ease. She sees where Kara gets hers from. “Of course.”

“God, you guys are such nerds,” Alex quips.

Eliza smiles serenely at her elder daughter, speaking calmly, “Honey, aren’t you the one studying chemical engineering at Harvard?” Alex has never looked more betrayed in her life. “Lena, sweetheart, are you going to stay the night? We got you presents and we could give them to you today, but we’d really love it if you could open them with us on Christmas morning,” Eliza says, a warm smile on her face.

Lena is positively dumbfounded. “You… got me presents?” she asks, the slight quaver in her voice betraying her incredulity.

“Of course we did, Lena. You’re family,” Jeremiah responds simply.

Her heart swells. Lena never thought that she could love Kara’s family more than she already does. Yet, somehow, they keep finding ways to carve out bigger, more permanent places in her heart, in the same way the girl sitting next to her does every day. A hand finds its way to her thigh and squeezes comfortingly. _Of course_ , Kara knows when she is on the verge of being overwhelmed and is always, unfailingly, there for her. The warmth that blossoms from her heart and settles around her body imbues her with renewed strength and bravery.

“Yes, I would love that very much. Thank you.”

Her heart is so full that night, it feels like it might burst.

-

It’s January and it’s her birthday. Kara has been keeping mum about her ‘surprise’ all day, much to Lena’s stupid fondness for her girlfriend’s penchant for making such a big deal about her anniversaries (when she gives such little care to them herself).

As the last bell rings for the school day, Kara leads her home on foot, swinging their joined hands the entire way, while Lena attempts to cajole her plans out of her en route. Prudent as she is, Kara thought ahead. She devised a fool proof plan to resist Lena’s charm offensive: whenever Lena attempts to persuade her, she’d kiss her girlfriend to distract her and avoid being subjected to her irresistible charm altogether. It works brilliantly.

(What Kara doesn’t know is, after a certain point, Lena stops actually trying to uncover Kara’s plans, diverting her efforts into plotting increasingly creative things to say in order to get more kisses from her girlfriend instead. A much nobler cause, if you ask her.)

She’s practically shooed to the garage immediately after they drop their bags in Kara’s room, stopping by the kitchen where Kara grabs a picnic basket filled with food. Kara wheels out an old-fashioned picnic bike from the corner of the garage and neatly lifts the basket out from Lena’s hands, attaching it to the front of the bicycle. She then clicks on a remote-control and the garage door opens. Kara offers a hand to Lena.

“Ready?”

The smile she’s graced with is the embodiment of the sun. And, for the first time, Lena realises that she’s not afraid of the light.

“With you, always.”

They reach a small clearing at the hill’s zenith, just north of the town as the late afternoon sun paints the world a vibrant orange. Each grabbing an end of the picnic blanket, they lay it down on a shaded spot with a breathless view over their hometown. They eat, talk, laugh, kiss and breathe each other in.

“Lena?” Kara starts.

Lena shifts comfortably on the blanket they’re lying on, turning to place a gentle kiss on Kara’s exposed shoulder. “Yeah, babe?”

Kara turns her head to look into her eyes. Lena wonders when _home_ became eyes the colour of a perfect spring sky, a smile brighter than the summer sun, arms that hold her safe from cool autumn winds and lips warmer than a hearth in winter.

“You are the strongest, smartest, kindest, bravest and most caring person I’ve ever met. The way that you care for me and support me without judgement or expectation of reward – you not only make me fall for you harder every day, you allow me to learn to love myself. And I’m so eternally grateful to whatever or whoever led us to each other that very first day. Because I can’t imagine a life without you, Lena. I love you.”

The wave of emotion that hits her has her breathless. Tears prick at her eyes as she’s left stunned and speechless.

All the calm confidence that Kara had a moment ago disappears after a beat passes and she hasn’t reacted.

“I-I don’t expect you to say it back! I mean, just because I said it doesn’t mean that you should feel pressured to say it to me as well. Believe me, I’d totally understand if you-” Her lips find Kara’s. Kara gasps in surprise and she gladly devours it, licking into her open mouth. She’s languid, almost – taking her time to taste, to feel, to exalt in the rapturous divinity that Kara’s lips allow, reciprocating the depth of her feelings with her lips (and her whole being).

When they finally part, they lean their foreheads against each other, breathing in the same air. Lena nudges Kara’s nose with her own and her girlfriend wrinkles hers adorably. She looks into blue eyes that are so transparent in their love for her.

She thinks that maybe she deserves to be happy, too. Her mind is reeling but her heart screams for her to be brave.

“I love you, too, Kara.”

**Author's Note:**

> Okay first of all I am a dirty liar who said that I'd post this by the weekend and clearly it is no longer the weekend. Unfriend me and don't invite me to any of your parties. (But please continue to read my stuff and provide feedback! I can't tell you how much I cherish you guys taking the time. Reading your comments bring the dorkiest smiles to my face and I LOVE it.)
> 
> This one-shot is born from a scene that came to my mind randomly one day of High school Kara bringing high school Lena home for the first time and the pureness of that first love experience. A week of multiple coffees and masterful procrastination later, it comes to fruition. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this and thank you for indulging me in my silly whims. 
> 
> BTW, the Luthorscribe is actually inspired by a real thing. I drew inspiration from (totally copied) the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity's Livescribe Smartpen. You can google it to check it out. It's pretty neat!
> 
> Stalk me @ oraffe.tumblr.com


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